---
title: "Installation"
description: "Here's a list of all ways to start MCPJam"
icon: "terminal"
---

## Quick start

Run the command in your terminal

    ```bash
    npx @mcpjam/inspector@latest
    ```

After installing the package, you should see a link to `localhost`. Open that link up to see the inspector.

## Docker

Run MCPJam Inspector using Docker Compose:

```bash
# Build and start the service
docker compose up -d

# View logs
docker compose logs -f

# Stop the service
docker compose down
```

To build from source:

```bash
# Build the Docker image locally
docker build -t mcpjam/mcp-inspector:latest .

# Then run with docker compose
docker compose up -d
```

The application will be available at **`http://127.0.0.1:6274`**.

<Warning>
**Important for macOS/Windows users:**

- Access the app via `http://127.0.0.1:6274` (not `localhost`)
- When connecting to MCP servers on your host machine, use `http://host.docker.internal:PORT` instead of `http://127.0.0.1:PORT`

Example:

```bash
# Your MCP server runs on host at: http://127.0.0.1:8080/mcp
# In Docker, configure it as: http://host.docker.internal:8080/mcp
```

</Warning>

## Start with STDIO server

This will open the MCPJam inspector and connect to a STDIO using the commands you provided.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Python Server">
    ```bash
    # Starts MCPJam inspector with a FastMCP server
    npx @mcpjam/inspector@latest uv run fastmcp run /path/to/your/server.py
    ```
  </Tab>
  
  <Tab title="Node.js Server">
    ```bash
    # NPX package
    npx @mcpjam/inspector@latest npx -y your-mcp-package

    # Direct Node.js execution
    npx @mcpjam/inspector@latest node /path/to/your/server.js
    ```

  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Info>
  **Use Absolute Paths**: Always use absolute file paths (e.g.,
  `/Users/yourname/project/server.py`) to avoid path resolution issues.
</Info>

## Start with custom port

This will start the MCPJam inspector with a custom port number. The default port is `6274`.

```bash
npx @mcpjam/inspector@latest --port 4000
```

## Start with Ollama

This will open the MCPJam inspector and start an Ollama model with the `ollama serve <model>` command. Make sure you have Ollama installed.

```bash
npx @mcpjam/inspector@latest --ollama llama3.2
```

## Start with Configuration File

You can use a configuration file to connect to multiple MCP servers at once:

```bash
# Using npx directly
npx @mcpjam/inspector@latest --config path/to/config.json --server myserver

# If running from the repository
npm run build
npm start -- --config path/to/config.json --server myserver
```

<Info>
  **Note**: When using `npm start`, you need the `--` separator to pass
  arguments to the underlying script.
</Info>

Example configuration file structure:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "everything": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-everything"],
      "env": {
        "HELLO": "Hello MCP!"
      }
    },
    "weather-server": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["weather_server.py"],
      "env": {
        "WEATHER_API_KEY": "your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}
```
